Malaysian suspects banned from traveling overseas
Fri, October 25 2013 22:39
Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Law and Human Rights Ministry has issued an overseas travel ban on two Malaysian nationals suspected of starting a forest fire in Riau province last June.
"The Ministry has informed immigration offices across Indonesia of the travel ban since October 10," said the Head of the Pekanbaru Immigration Office, Amran Aris, on Friday.
The travel ban is valid for six months and can be extended for another six months, he added.
"We have been asked to coordinate with the Detective and Special Crime Directorate of the Riau provincial police if we find the two people at any of the exit points at the province`s airports, seaports, or other places," he stated.
The Ministry imposed the travel ban on the Malaysian nationals at the request of the Criminal Investigation Directorate (Bareskrim) of the National Police.
The Malaysians - identified with the initials TKY and Dkrs - hold high-ranking positions at PT ADEI Plantation and Industry, a subsidiary of Malaysia-based company Kuala Lumpur Kehpong Berhad.
They have not been arrested yet as the police are still conducting investigations in the case, the spokesman for Riau Police, Adj. Snr. Comr. Guntur Aryo Tejo, had said on Thursday.
According to the police, the suspects allegedly helped local residents start a forest fire in the Pelalawan district to clear land for a palm oil plantation.
Last June, most of Riau province was enveloped in a thick haze of smoke due to the forest fire, forcing thousands of people to move from the area. Neighboring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia had filed complaints with Indonesia after haze from the burning forest blanketed their territories.
Earlier, the police named seven companies for their alleged involvement in setting the forest fire - PT Jatim Jaya Perkasa, PT Langgam Inti Hibrida, PT BMS, PT BBHA, PT RUJ, PT SPM, and PT SRL.
However, no individual suspects have been named from the seven companies. Investigations are still on in the case.
